Date of Award
Spring 5-1-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Department
Creative Writing
First Advisor
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh
Second Advisor
Eyal Press
Academic Program Adviser
Michael Rizzo
Abstract
Amid a string of family deaths, writer and journalist Catherine Santino found herself preoccupied by the idea of lineage and inheritance. As she digs into her Sicilian heritage, she explores how the traditions and values set forth by her family’s matriarchs have shaped the woman she’s still becoming. From grappling with the shame caused by the Roman Catholic Church’s teachings of purity to examining how Italian food customs impacted her body image, Santino interrogates the complicated truth that the belief systems she was raised with offer both comfort and torment.
Recommended Citation
Santino, Catherine, "Heirloomed: An Italian-American Daughter Weaving Past and Present" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/1486
